mk chairman of the Democratic Party of South Korea's policy committee, and other officials observe a moment of silence for the victims of a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea during the party's strategy meeting at the National Assembly on June 25, 2024. The June 24 fire killed 23 people, mostly Chinese nationals. Photo: VCG" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-06-25/068c44ba-1b65-4aa1-8b65-932cab69e8a3.jpeg" />

Jin Sung-joon, chairman of the Democratic Party of South Korea's policy committee, and other officials observe a moment of silence for the victims of a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea during the party's strategy meeting at the National Assembly on June 25, 2024. The June 24 fire killed 23 people, mostly Chinese nationals. Photo: VCG

After a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea on Monday killed 23 people, with preliminary assessments suggesting that 17 of them were Chinese nationals, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that China has asked South Korea to determine the cause of the accident as soon as possible, make every effort to save and treat the injured, make proper arrangements for people affected, and assist the families of the deceased Chinese nationals.

The Chinese government is paying close attention to the fire incident and taking very seriously the deaths and injuries of Chinese nationals caused by the fire. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese Embassy in South Korea immediately activated the consular emergency response mechanism and fully engaged in the emergency response and handling of the aftermath, Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a routine press conference on Tuesday.

The South Korean side is further investigating and ascertaining the cause of the fire and the deaths and injuries it has caused, Mao said. 

"We express our deep condolences over the lives lost in the accident and sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families," the spokesperson said. 

We will continue doing everything we can for the incident to be properly handled, Mao said. 

In a statement released on its official WeChat account on Tuesday, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea reminded Chinese nationals and institutions in South Korea to strengthen security precautions, pay timely attention to safety reminders, and enhance self-rescue and disaster avoidance capabilities for various disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. 

The embassy said it is fully coordinating with the South Korean side to properly handle the aftermath of the Chinese nationals' deaths, quickly determine the cause of the accident, and effectively ensure the safety and health of Chinese nationals in South Korea.

According to local authorities, the fire was completely extinguished at around 8:48 am on Tuesday after 22 hours of firefighting efforts, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

On Monday night, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming arrived at the scene of the fire and met with South Korean government officials and members of the fire department to understand the situation, the progress made in search and rescue and the follow-up arrangements. Ambassador Xing urged South Korean authorities to quickly determine the cause of the accident, to handle the aftermath properly, and to provide all necessary support to the families of the Chinese victims.

Regarding why many of those lost in the fire were Chinese nationals, an insider in the lithium battery industry noted that the Chinese battery industry chain is in a leading position in the global market, with many experienced industry workers and practitioners, and that South Korean companies offer relatively high salaries to attract Chinese workers, Yicai reported. 

Additionally, geographical proximity and cultural similarity are also reasons that have led many Chinese, especially from the Korean ethnic group, to choose to work in South Korea, analysts said.

Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that in the aftermath of this tragic incident, South Korea must take real responsibility for post-accident work.

Da noted that the accident raises a problem worth reflecting on, which is the need for South Korea to ensure the safety and basic rights of foreign workers in a country where rapid aging is taking place and a large number of foreign workers are employed. South Korea should consider whether there is room for improvement in response mechanisms and emergency management if foreign workers encounter similar incidents, Da said.

Given the difficulty of extinguishing fires caused by battery explosions and the potential for secondary hazards, analysts warned that this incident should serve as a wake-up call for all countries, not just South Korea. It is imperative for countries to properly address the safety risks associated with industries involving lithium batteries, prioritize the protection of their employees, and implement effective post-accident protocols in the event of a similar occurrence, Da said.